Thursday, July 28, 2011

The Tompkins County Public Library will host Ithaca College assistant professor and acclaimed author Eleanor Henderson for a reading and signing of her debut novel, “Ten Thousand Saints,” Thursday, July 28 at 6:00 PM in the BorgWarner Community Room.

Set in 1980s New York City, “Ten Thousand Saints” is an edgy coming-of-age novel that tests the bonds of friendship, family and fate. Described as an “empathetic novel of wayward youth and their wayward parents,” the book has garnered praise from the Boston Globe, the Washington Post, the L.A. Times and the New York Times Book Review.

Copies of the book will be available for purchase at the event, with proceeds directly benefitting Library programs and services.

This program is free and open to the public and is being held in conjunction with the Library and the Tompkins County Public Library Foundation’s 2011 Local Writers Series.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

The Tompkins County Public Library will host Aloja Airewele for “Once Upon a Childhood Paradise: Paying Homage to a Place of Nurture and Affirmation,” an evening of stories, songs and dance Wednesday, July 27 at 6:00 PM in the BorgWarner Community Room.

Born and raised in Nigeria, Airewele is a trained physician and worked in family medicine before immigrating with his family to the United States in 1997. He currently serves as a case manager for the American Red Cross and works for Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton, but considers his true calling to be storytelling.

Those storytelling skills will be on display during the Library event, which is free and open to an all-ages audience. Airewele will be joined by many friends and noted community members as they pay tribute to the places that helped shape their lives.

“I have set aside this time to honor a place where as a child I blossomed under the nurture and affirmation of the wise and kind people of EWU in Mid-Western Nigeria. It was place that took me in as a young person, showed me uncommon kindness, wisdom and became my cheerleaders as I progressed in life,” Airewele said. “Through songs, narratives, dance and celebration I will take the Ithaca community through this period of my life that became the soil in which the seed of future fruitfulness in life was sown.”

Attendees will also be invited to share their stories during this event. For more information, contact Carrie Wheeler-Carmenatty at cwheeler@tcpl.org or (607) 272-4557 extension 248.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

The Tompkins County Public Library and the Tompkins County Public Library Foundation will host much-acclaimed author Alexi Zentner for a reading and signing of his debut novel “Touch” Thursday, July 21 at 7:00 PM in the BorgWarner Community Room.

Earning the endorsement of literary critics and authors worldwide, “Touch” has been called “breathtaking” and “beautifully imagined.” The book takes readers on a magical journey of life, death and the space between, and paints an eerily touching picture of the bonds of family.

This program is being held in conjunction with the Library and Library Foundation’s 2011 Local Writers Series. It is free and open to the public, and refreshments will be served. Copies of “Touch” will be available for purchase at the event, with proceeds benefitting Library programs and services.

For more information, contact Carrie Wheeler-Carmenatty at (607) 272-4557 extension 248 or cwheeler@tcpl.org.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

A community where families share the magic of reading and the wonder of Libraries with their babies is the goal of a recently-announced collaboration between the Tompkins County Public Library and the Family Reading Partnership.

Library Director Susan Currie has announced that a board book edition of “Lola at the Library,” by Anna McQuinn, and a children’s library card, will join the “Very Hungry Caterpillar,” by Eric Carle as part of the Books at Birth program established by Family Reading Partnership. The two books and library card will be presented to families of all infants born at Cayuga Medical Center in a red bag featuring the encouraging words, “Love me. Feed me. Read to me. Take me to the library!” “Promoting early childhood literacy is one of the most fundamentally important roles of public libraries,” Currie said. “We are so grateful that the Family Reading Partnership has provided us with such a wonderful platform for reaching the next generation of readers.” “Lola at the Library” follows toddler Lola on her favorite day of the week---Library Day---and captures her excitement as she explores the children’s section, attends a storytime, and borrows books. The Library was able to purchase copies of the book through a generous grant from the Brooks Family Foundation, and volunteers from the Family Reading Partnership affixed book labels and inserted library cards into each book. Funding for the “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” comes from the Tompkins Trust Company.

Brigid Hubberman, executive director of Family Reading Partnership said the collaboration is a natural fit, as FRP strongly supports the work of the Library.

”We have always seen each book we give as a gift to families as an appetizer to the public library,” Hubberman said. “We are thrilled to partner with the Tompkins County Public Library to encourage families to make visits to the library part of their regular routines with baby.”Parents can activate and use their child’s library card at the Tompkins County Public Library. Once activated, the card may be used at any Tompkins County library. For more information, contact Carrie Wheeler-Carmenatty at (607) 272-4557 extension 248 or cwheeler@tcpl.org.

Friday, July 15, 2011

The Tompkins County Public Library will present a multicultural puppet show in celebration of this year’s Summer Reading theme, One World, Many Stories, Friday, July 15th from 2:00-3:00 PM in the BorgWarner Community Room.

Children of all ages are invited to join Library staff as they celebrate different regions of the world through books, puppets, music, audience participation and a craft. This event is free and appropriate for all ages.

For more information about children’s programming, contact the Youth Services Department at (607) 272-4557 extension 275.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

The Tompkins County Public Library will partner with the Hangar Theatre for a special Stories in the Park Tuesday, July 12 from 11:30 to Noon at the DeWitt Park Farmer’s Market.

TCPL will share its regularly-scheduled storytime with actors from the Hangar’s Kiddstuff performance of “Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type,” based on Doreen Cronin’s children’s book of the same name. The actors will give an animated reading of the book, before turning things over to TCPL’s own Kelly Doolittle for more fun-filled stories and songs.

Stories in the Park is held each Tuesday through August 30. Stories are most appropriate for toddlers and preschoolers, and all children must be accompanied by an adult. In the event of rain, storytime will be held in the Library’s Thaler/Howell Programming Room.

The Hangar Theatre will present a stage adaptation of “Click, Clack, Moo. . .” July 21 through July 23 with performances at 10:00 AM and Noon.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

The Tompkins County Public Library will host a monthly storytelling performance by the Ithaca Area Storytellers on the first Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM in the Thaler/Howell Programming Room.

Appropriate for story enthusiasts ages five and older, these programs are free and feature folktales, traditional stories and modern yarns. Some programs will feature stories related to specific themes while others will include impromptu tales by the Storytellers.

The Ithaca Area Storytellers is an informal group of individuals dedicated to furthering the timeless art of storytelling. Anyone interested in finding out more about the group is encouraged to attend one of their monthly organizational meetings which are held in the Thaler/Howell Programming Room 30 minutes prior to each Library performance.

A host of characters from beloved children’s literature will be on display at the Tompkins County Public Library beginning July 5, as the Ithaca Doll Artists present “Take a Look Inside a Book.”

Always popular with Library patrons, the Ithaca Doll Artists garner praise from audiences of all ages for their originality and craftsmanship. This year’s exhibit features pieces crafted during a year-long challenge to create figurative sculptures—art dolls---based on the artists’ interpretations of characters from children’s books, poems or nursery rhymes.

Hedwig and Dobbie the House Elfe from “Harry Potter”, Old Mother Hubbard and Aladdin are among the enchanting fictional characters to be found on display at the Tompkins County Public Library through August 29.

The membership of the Ithaca Doll Artists, a creative New York-based organization, includes figurative sculptors, fiber artists, quilters, art teachers and painters as well as members who are new to the art doll field.

In celebration of their Library exhibit, the Ithaca Doll Artists are offering two free workshops on creating “Bendi Dolls.” The workshops are:

Saturday, August 13 from 10:30 to 12:30, Thaler/Howell Programming Room—Perfect for children ages 4 and older and their caregivers, this program will provide attendees with the opportunity to decorate their own “Bendi Doll.”

Thursday, August 25 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, BorgWarner Community Room---Teens and adults will be provided with their own undecorated, unadorned “Bendi Doll” together with the materials needed to turn it into a character doll. Several Ithaca Doll Artists will be on hand to work one on one teaching participants how to create a truly unique doll.

Advanced registration is required for both workshops. To register, contact June Silberman at rsilberman@twcny.rr.com or call 607-257-0939. The deadline for registration is August 9 and each workshop is limited to 10 participants.

The Tompkins County Public Library will host “The Saltonstall Spirit,” a multi-media art exhibit curated by Dan Larkin and featuring the work of nine artists and writers with connections to Ithaca’s Saltonstall Foundation and Artist Colony.

Opening July 5, “The Saltonstall Spirit” features the work of photographers Dan Larkin, Adam Vincentz, Angela Kelly and Joe Ziolkowski, Printmaker Judy Barringer, Poet Fran Markover, Painters Marianne Barcellona and William Benson and drawings by Joy Nagy. Each of the featured pieces describe, depict or are inspired by Ithaca and the surrounding landscape.

A free, opening reception will be held in conjunction with downtown Ithaca’s First Friday Gallery Night from 5:00 to 7:00 PM on Friday, August 5 and will include talks from the artists and a 6:00 PM poetry reading by Markover.

The exhibit runs through September 29 and is made possible in part by grant support from the Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County.

Friday, July 1, 2011

Summer reading programs aren’t only for the vacationing school age set. The Tompkins County Public Library is kicking off its first “Pre-Reader” Summer Reading Program with a storytime for newborns to children age four on July 1, 2011 at 11:00 in the Library’s Thaler Howell Room. Subtitled “Pre-birth – Pre-school,” this newly developed program recognizes the important role reading aloud plays in early childhood and encourages parents, parents-to-be and other caregivers to foster a love of reading at an early age. Interested participants who complete a Read-Aloud Bingo Card featuring fun ideas on incorporating early literacy activities into every day routines will be entered in a raffle to win a gift basket with gifts for both caregiver and child.

The Library's Summer Reading Programs begin June 25 through August 31, 2011.

The 2011 Summer Reading Program is made possible with the support of the Gannett Foundation, M&T Bank and by a grant from Federal Library Services and Technology Act funds.

For more information, contact the Youth Services Department at (607) 272-4557 extension 275 or visit http://www.tcpl.org/.